Rice Pilaf

 

I’m not usually a huge fan of rice. But this rice is special. It has cinnamon and clove and cardamom in it but it’s not sweet. It has an exotic, pungent flavor that I just love. So do my kids, they’ll eat this like they’ve never had food before! And it doesn’t take forever to cook, which is really nice. I like to serve this along side my favorite meatballs, also a Nigella recipe. Try it, you’ll love it too!

 

Rice Pilaf

Adapted from Nigella Lawson’s Feast

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 cloves

1 stick of cinnamon, broken into large pieces

3 cardamom pods, bruised

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon nigella seeds, optional

2 1/2 cups basmati or jasmine rice

4 cups chicken stock

 

In a deep saucepan, heat the oil.

Sauté the onion along with the cloves, cinnamon, cardamom pods, cumin seeds and nigella seeds.

When the onion is translucent, add the rice.

Stir for a few minutes, then add the chicken stock.

Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover the pan with a lid and cook over the lowest heat possible for 20 minutes.

Turn off the heat, take the lid off, cover with a tea towel and clamp the lid back on the saucepan. You can leave the rice to rest like this for at least 10 minutes, and up to about 1 hour. Fork the rice through when you are ready to serve it.

Enjoy!